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Kingdoms
The Twelve Kingdoms tells several stories from the world of the Twelve Kingdoms, located on several islands accessible through magic. On the islands, magic works and societies similar to classical China exist. While the inhabitants of the Twelve Kingdoms are aware of the existence of our world, the reverse is not true. Overview In the Twelve Kingdoms, the kingdoms are surrounded by an endless sea called the Kyokai (虚海, Void Sea). At the centre of the world are four inner seas: the Black Sea in the north, the Blue Sea in the east, the Red Sea in the south, and the White Sea in the west. The four seas are separated by the four Diamond Mountains, which surround the Yellow Sea (the Kokai), a barren wasteland of rock, desert, swamp, and thorns where youma inhabit. At the centre of the Yellow Sea are the Five Sacred Mountains, which includes Mount Hou, the mythic birthplace of kirin where all the kings of the Twelve Kingdoms must ascend in order to accept the mandate of heaven before they can claim their throne. Legend tells of a land beyond the Void Sea at the end of the world called Hourai (蓬莱). The world has been recognized as Japan, called by its ancient name of Wa (倭). In the shadow of the world on its other side is a peak called Konron (崑崙, Kunlun) and another kingdom of legend: China which is called by its ancient name of Kan (漢). There is no conventional means of crossing the Void Sea. Only sages of sufficient rank and certain beasts of considerable power can cross. While these worlds often remain separate, storms known as shoku (蝕) can cause the two worlds to mix. Often, a shoku can sweep inhabitants from Wa to the Twelve Kingdoms across the Void Sea. These people become known as kaikyaku (海客, sea guest). People who emerge from the mountains from Kan are known as sankyaku (山客, mountain guest). People swept from from the Twelve Kingdoms to the other world while still contained in ranka are born in the wombs of a human mother and are called taika. Kingdoms There are twelve kingdoms, twelve rulers and twelve Kirins. Each kingdom has its own kirin, a divine creature who must choose a ruler and serve as the kingdom's Saiho, the ruler's chief advisor. The ruler will have immortal life as long as he keeps the kingdom healthy and their heads are not severed from their body. Eight of the Twelve Kingdoms border at least one of these four seas, extending from the center like the petals of a flower. The kingdoms, moving clockwise from the northernmost kingdom are Ryuu, En, Kei, Kou, Sou, Sai, Han, and Kyou. The remaining four kingdoms are not part of the central mainland and are isolated by the Void Sea. These kingdoms are Tai in the northeast, Shun in the southeast, Ren in the southwest, and Hou in the northwest. Map Areas of the map below are clickable. Image:Tile kingdom map.png|500px poly 391 91 241 92 226 112 226 259 248 270 407 111 Hou poly 787 88 628 92 615 113 773 270 797 262 797 100 Tai poly 796 654 794 504 772 491 614 646 623 669 783 671 Shun poly 223 651 224 503 246 488 398 643 388 667 237 670 Ren poly 393 344 315 291 263 323 225 385 261 438 316 472 399 414 358 396 350 385 350 372 375 356 398 348 Han poly 478 263 430 185 426 178 392 182 343 207 326 243 317 289 396 346 430 334 461 334 471 285 478 264 Kyou poly 479 263 426 178 464 125 513 88 565 123 601 175 547 261 536 226 526 218 503 218 492 230 479 261 Ryuu poly 602 175 545 267 554 304 563 333 621 342 636 347 705 293 699 238 687 206 647 185 En poly 634 350 707 292 771 339 799 384 759 440 703 473 625 411 665 398 673 381 670 367 657 357 Kei poly 622 409 706 475 698 514 679 553 636 572 599 575 547 499 553 451 557 423 593 421 Kou poly 543 494 599 577 576 623 517 669 453 631 424 581 480 492 494 527 506 539 519 537 530 529 533 524 Sou poly 470 425 482 488 423 580 377 570 342 551 324 514 316 471 400 414 433 421 466 422 Sai Category:Locations